Energy storing drive means

ABSTRACT

A first component in a drive is rotatable in one and in an opposite direction. A second component, such as a shaft, is rotatable also, and is connected with energy storing means which stores energy when the second component rotates. A transmission is provided which connects the first and second components to rotate the second when the first rotates. The transmission has a first branch provided with a first device which transmits motion from the first component to the second component only when the first component rotates in one direction but will not transmit such motion when this first component rotates in the opposite direction, and there is further provided in the transmission a second branch having a second device which transmits motion to the second component only when the first component rotates in the opposite direction but will not transmit motion when the first component rotates in the first direction.

United States atent 1 Darda 1 May28, 1974 15 41 ENERGY STORING DRIVEMEANS 221 Filed: Apr. 20, 1971 211 App1.No.: 135,662

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary Examiner Manuel A.Antonakas Attorney, Agent, or Firm-MichaelS. Striker [57] ABSTRACT Afirst component in a drive is rotatable in one and in an oppositedirection. A second component, such as a shaft, is rotatable also, andis connected with energy storing means which stores energy when thesecond component rotates. A transmission is provided which connects thefirst and second components to rotate the second when the first rotates.The transmission has a first branch provided with a firstdevice whichtransmits motion from the first component to the second component onlywhen the first component rotatesin one direction but will not transmitsuch motion when this first component rotates in the opposite direction,and there is further provided in the transmission a second branch havinga second device which transmits motion to the second component only'whenthe first component rotates in the opposite direction but will nottransmit motion when the first component rotates in the first direction.

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sum 180F18 INVENTOR. #66110 #4804- ENERGY STORING DRIVE MEANS BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a drive, andmore particularly to a drive utilizing an energystoring means. Stillmore particularly the present invention relates to a spring drive whichis especially suited for mobile toys.

Spring drives used for mobile toys and similar purposes generally employa spiral spring whose inner end is connected with a'rotary shaft andwhose outer end is connected with the output shaft of the drive via atransmission. A key is provided which engages with the spring shaft andturns the latter, thereby tensioning the spring and storing energy inthe same. In such construction the transmission and the outer end of thespring must be arrested to prevent immediate dissipation of the energyinput at the spring shaft.

This type of construction is very widely used, and in many instances isentirely satisfactory. However, it has been found that small and verysmall children are incapable of winding such spring drives by means ofthe key provided, sometimes because they do not understand the reasonsfor the use of the key, sometimes because they have inadequate strengthor coordination to use the key. It has been observed that such childrenfre- I quently attempt to wind the spring not by means of the key, butby turning the spring shaft itself or even the output shaft of thedrive. In any case, the keys in such spring drives are usuallycomponents which are discrete from the remainder of the drive and whichare quite often lost, at which point it is impossible to further utilizethe drive except in the unlikely event that the user should have or beable to obtain a key which can-replace the one that has been lost.

An additional drawback of these prior-art devices is the fact that thetransmission which is interposed between the spring and output shaftmakes the winding of the spring relatively time-consuming and tiring fora small child, aside from the fact that there exists the danger thatturning of the key in the wrong direction -it is well known that thereis only one direction in which the key must be turned to wind the springthe spring may be damaged, a danger which also exists from possibleover-tightening of the spring.

Attempts have been made to overcome these difficulties. Thus, springdrives are known from the art in which the spring is tensioned by meansof a friction wheel connected with the spring shaft and which rotatesthe spring shaft when the toy or other element in which the spring driveis incorporated, is pressed down so that the friction wheel contacts asurface on which the toy is then moved along to turn the friction wheeland thereby wind the spring. Other embodiments of the prior art preferto utilize auxiliary gears which are placed in mesh with the springshaft and the output shaft when the toy is pressed down onto a surfaceand is then moved along the surface.

However, in these as in all other well-known spring drives which avoidthe use of a key for winding the spring, the output shaft must be turnedonly in one predetermined direction for tensioning the spring, so thatthe spring is tensioned only if the toy vehicle or the like is movedover a support surface in a given direction. This is disadvantageousbecause it presupposes that a playing child understands that the springcan be tensioned only by moving the toy in this one direction, a

degree of perception which is absent in small children SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION It is a general object of the present invention to overcomethe disadvantages of the prior art.

, More particularly it is an object of the present invention to providean improved drive of the type under dis-v cussion which is not possessedof these disadvantages.

A still more particular object of the invention is to provide such adrive in which the energy storing means whether it be a spring of thecoil or spiral type, a helical spring, a torsion spring which may or maynot consist of rubber, or a similar energy storing means all of whichcan be utilized in accordance with the present invention can be wound bymoving the drive in mutually opposite directions, that is that thecomponent transmitting motion to the energy storing device can berotated, in mutually opposite directions and will in both directionseffect the storage of energy.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide such a constructionin which the energy storing means is so arranged that it will storeenergy as a result of the rotation of either the output shaft of thedrive or else by means of a separate input shaft, for instance anauxiliary friction wheel mounted on such a shaft.

In pursuance of the above objects, and of others which will becomeapparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a drive,particularly but not exclusively for mobile toys, which comprises afirst component rotatable in one and in an opposite direction, and asecond component which is rotatable in a predetermined direction. Energystoring means is connected with the second component and adapted tostore energy in response to rotation thereof in the aforementionedpredetermined direction.

Transmission means is associated with these components for effectingrotation of the second component in the aforementioned predetermineddirection; it comprises a first branch including first means adapted tolink the components for transmission of motion to the second componentonly in response to rotation of the first component in one direction,and a second branch including second means which is adapted to link thecomponents for transmission of motion to the second component only inresponse to rotation of the first component in the opposite direction.

The basic concept according to the present invention can be utilized fordrives in which a spring is provided only one end of which is connectedwith the second component -that is the spring shaft or a spring gearwheel whereas the other end is fixed for instance on a supporting frameor the like. In this case, it is necessary that between the spring gearwheel and the output shaft or the separate input shaft there be provideda power train or transmission train having an even number of gears and asecond power or transmission train having an uneven number of gears, thefirst means being located in one and the second being located in theother gear train. These means serve to interrupt transmission throughone gear train when motion is transmitted through the other, and viceversa. The differential number of gears provides for the transmission

1. A drive, particulary for mobile toys, comprising a first componentrotatable in one and in an opposite direction; a second componentrotatable in a predetermined direction; energy storing means connectedwith said second component and adapted to store energy in response torotation thereof in said predetermined direction; and transmission meansassociated with said components for effecting rotation of said secondcomponent in said predetermined direction, said transmission meanscomprising a first branch including first means adapted to link saidcomponents for transmission of motion from said first to said secondcomponent only in response to rotation of the former in said onedirection, and a second branch including second means adapted to linksaid components for transmission of motion from said first to saidsecond component only in response to rotation of the former in saidopposite direction.
 2. A drive as defined in claim 1, wherein said firstand second components are rotary shafts.
 3. A drive as defined in claim1, wherein said energy storing means comprises a resiliently deformableelement.
 4. A drive as defined in claim 1, wherein said energy storingmeans comprises a coil spring.
 5. A drive as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid branches comprise a plurality of components at least one of whichis common to both said first and said second branch.
 6. A drive asdefined in claim 5, said first component being a rotary shaft; furthercomprising a first and a second pinion rotatably mounted on said shaftand cooperating with said first and second means, respectively, so as tobe non-rotatably connected thereby with said shaft when the latterrotates in said one and said opposite direction, respectively; said onepinion meshing with one of said gear wheels when non-rotatably connectedwith said shaft; further comprising a direction-reversing pinion meshingwith said second pinion and with the other of said gear wheels when saidsecond pinion is non-rotatably connected with said shaft; and furthercomprising an output shaft driven by said output transmission andadapted to be rotated when the latter is coupled with one of said gearwheels and said spring releases stored energy.
 7. A drive as defined inclaim 1, said energy storing means comprising a spring having spacedends; and wherein said second component comprises two gear wheels eachof which is connected with one of said ends; said branches eachcooperating with one of said gear wheels.
 8. A drive as defined in claim7; and further comprising blocking means cooperating with said gearwheels and operative for preventing turning of one of said gear wheelsduring turning of the other of said gear wheels, and vice versa.
 9. Adrive as defined in claim 8, said blocking means comprising toothedwheels and cooperating pawls each cooperating with one of said toothedwheels.
 10. A drive as defined in claim 9, said pawls being elasticpawls normally out of blocking engagement with the respectivelycooperating toothed wheel.
 11. A drive as defined in claim 10, each ofsaid elastic pawls further comprising a flexible arm arranged to bedisplaced and tensioned for engagement of the respective pawl with thecooperating toothed wheel, and for assisting subsequent disengagement ofthe respective pawl from such cooperating toothed wheel.
 12. A drive asdefined in claim 7; further comprising rotary-motion converting meanscooperating with said transmission means and said gear wheels andoperative for turning said gear wheels in mutually opposite directionsof rotation in response to turning of said first component in said oneand said opposite direction, respectively.
 13. A drive as defined inclaim 12, said transmission means comprising a transmission geararranged for meshing with one of said gear wheels; and wherein saidconverting means comprises a reversing pinion meshing with saidtransmission gear and with the other of said gear wheels.
 14. A drive asdefined in claim 13, said reversing pinion comprising a shaft member anda pair of gear members fixed on said shaft member for rotationtherewith.
 15. a drive as defined in claim 14, wherein said gear membersare of identical size and configuration.
 16. A drive as defined in claim14, said gear members comprising a larger and a smaller gear member; andwherein said larger gear member is laterally offset with reference tothe cooperating transmission gear.
 17. A drive as defined in claim 13;and further comprising mounting means mounting said reversing pinion fordisplacement into and out of mesh positions with reference to at leastone of said transmission gear and other gear wheel.
 18. A drive asdefined in claim 17, said reversing pinion comprising a pinion shaftextending beyond opposite axial ends of said reversing pinion; andwherein said mounting means comprises a mounting frame having at leasttwo transversely spaced apertures each accommodating an end portion ofsaid pinion shaft and at least one of which is elongated in thedirection in which said reversing pinion is to be displaced; and furthercomprising an operating member for displacing said reversing pinion insaid one elongated aperture.
 19. A drive as defined in claim 17, saidreversing pinion comprising a pinion shaft having spaced end portions;said mounting means comprising a bifurcated mounting element engagingsaid end portions and carrying said reversing pinion; further comprisinga support pivotably supporting said mounting element for movementbetween a first and a second position in which said reversing pinion isrespectively in and out of mesh; and biasing means permanently urgingsaid mounting element to said second position.
 20. A drive as defined inclaim 19, said gear wheels being mounted on a common axle, and saidtransmission gear comprising a pair of pinions which have a joint axisof rotation, an imaginary line passing through said pinion shaft andsaid common axle including a predetermined angle with an imaginary linepassing through said pinion shaft and said joint axis of rotation; andwherein said bifurcated mounting element is pivotable about a pivot axiswhich is located at a side of said pinion shaft remote from said gearwheels and on a line bisecting said predetermined angle.
 21. A drive asdefined in claim 20, said mounting element comprising a pair of journalsfor said pivot shaft and at least one of which is a slot-shapedaperture; said mounting element comprising an arm provided with aprojection which is slidably received in a slotted aperture of saidsupport and so oriented with reference to said gear wheels that whensaid mounting element is in said second position, said reversing pinionis in said mesh position.
 22. A drive as defined in claim 21, saidbiasing means comprising a biasing spring bearing upon said support andsaid projection.
 23. A drive as defined in claim 21; further comprisingan abutment provided in said slotted aperture and adapted to engage andsupport said projection when said mounting element is in said firstposition thereof.
 24. A drive as defined in claim 17; and furthercomprising biasing means permanently tending to displace said reversingpinion to said out of mesh position.
 25. A drive as defined in claim 7;further comprising an output transmission normally uncoupled from saidgear wheels; coupling means for coupling said output transmission withone of said gear wheels when desired; and decoupling means permanentlytending to de-couple said output transmission from said one gear wheel.26. A drive as defined in claim 25; further comprising detent meanscooperating with one of said gear wheels for preventing turning of thesame when energy stored in said spring is to be reLeased via the otherof said gear wheels.
 27. A drive as defined in claim 26, said firstcomponent being a rotary shaft having end portions carrying respectivevehicle wheels; further comprising a first and a second pinion rotatablymounted on said shaft and cooperating with said first and second means,respectively, so as to be non-rotatably connected thereby with saidshaft when the latter rotates in said one and said opposite direction,respectively; one of said pinions being in motion-transmittingconnection with one of said gear wheels; and further comprising engagingmeans operative for effecting motion-transmitting engagement of saidpinions each with one of said gear wheels, and of one of said pinionswith a reversing pinion meshing with one of said gear wheels so as totension said spring from both of said ends thereof irrespective of thedirection of rotation of said first component.
 28. A drive as defined inclaim 27; further comprising a first frame carrying at least saidspring, said second component and said reversing pinion; a second framecarrying said rotary shaft and at least some elements of saidtransmission means and being pivotable relative to said first frame to aposition in which said pinions engage said gear wheels and saidreversing pinion and said output transmission is de-coupled from saidone gear wheel; and further comprising biasing means permanently urgingsaid second frame to a second position in which said pinions are out ofengagement with said gear wheels and said output transmission is coupledwith said one gear wheel.
 29. A drive as defined in claim 7; furthercomprising an output transmission for release of energy stored by saidspring and having an output shaft, a pair of pinions one of which has anumber of gear teeth greater than the other and which pinions areconnected for joint rotation in at least one direction; and wherein saidgear wheels are of different sizes and each mesh with one of saidpinions.
 30. A drive as defined in claim 25, said first component beinga rotary shaft; further comprising a first and a second pinion rotatablymounted on said shaft and cooperating with said first and second means,respectively, so as to be non-rotatably connected with said shaft whenthe latter rotates in said one and in said opposite direction,respectively; said one pinion meshing with one of said gear wheels whennon-rotatably connected with said shaft; and further comprising adirection-reversing pinion meshing with said second pinion and with theother of said gear wheels when said second pinion is non-rotatablyconnected with said shaft.
 31. A drive as defined in claim 30, saidcoupling means being operative for coupling one of said first and secondpinions with the associated gear wheel and with said output transmissionwhen stored energy is to be released from said spring.
 32. A drive asdefined in claim 1, said energy storing device comprising a springhaving an end, and said second component comprising a gear wheelconnected with said end; and wherein one of said branches comprises aneven number of meshing gears and the other of said branches comprises anuneven number of meshing gears.
 33. A drive as defined in claim 1, saidenergy storing means comprising a coil spring having an outer end and aninner end; a hook provided on said inner end; said second componentincluding a spring shaft carrying said spring; and an engaging portionon said spring shaft engaging said hook and maintaining the sameconnected with said spring shaft when said spring is tensioned, butreleasing said hook when said spring is relaxed.
 34. A drive as definedin claim 1, said energy storing means comprising a casing having aninner wall, and a coil spring accommodated in said casing and having aninner end portion and an outer end portion, said outer end portionhaving an abutment portion adapted to frictionally engage said innerwall.
 35. A drive as defined in claim 34, said outer end portion haVingfreedom of sliding movement over said inner wall in frictionalengagement therewith; and further comprising detents on said inner wallextending transversely of the direction of sliding movement of saidouter end portion and adapted to engage and cooperate with said abutmentportion thereon.
 36. A drive as defined in claim 34, said spring havinga first thickness and said outer end portion being bent back upon itselfand forming a hook, said spring further comprising a spring section ofsecond greater thickness retained in said book and extending from thesame circumferentially of said coil spring, said spring section having aradially outwardly bent free end.
 37. A drive as defined in claim 1,said first and second means comprising a shaft, and each comprising anannulus of sawteeth mounted freely rotatably on said shaft with thesawteeth of one annulus being inclined in opposite circumferentialdirection to the sawteeth of the other annulus, and each furthercomprising respective springy detent elements firmly fixed to said shaftand engageable with the respective annulus upon rotation of said shaftin requisite direction for effecting concomitant rotation of the thusengaged annulus in said direction.
 38. A drive as defined in claim 37,said first and second means further comprising a hollow pinion mountedon said shaft, and said annuli and detent elements being provided in theinterior of said hollow pinion.